Okanogan County's First Official Firewise Community to be Celebrated Saturday

Sep 05, 2013

Okanogan Conservation District, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and Okanogan County are proud to announce that the Chiliwist Community has earned recognition from The National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise Communities/USA Program. The Chiliwist group is the first neighborhood in Okanogan County to receive this honor.

A potluck celebration will be held at a private home in the Chiliwist on September 7th at 3 pm. Representatives from Okanogan Conservation District, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and the Chiliwist Firewise Advisory Committee will lead the event. Press, local fire and emergency staff, and Chiliwist landowners are invited to attend. Chiliwist landowners should contact Peggy Kelly, 509-422-5428 for more information. All others should use the contact information listed above.

The national Firewise Communities program is an interagency program designed to encourage local solutions for wildfire safety. As of this date, there are 957 recognized Firewise Communities in 40 states, including 95 in Washington. The program offers simple ways community members can work together to prevent their properties from becoming fuel for a wildfire. With adequate planning and cooperation among homeowners, public agencies, and community leaders, wildfires can occur without disastrous loss of life, property, and resources. In Okanogan County, the Firewise program is coordinated by the Okanogan Conservation District in cooperation with Washington Department of Natural Resources and Okanogan County.